As I staggered up Erciyes Daği (3917m, P2419) it occurred to me I should have acclimatised first. Our local guide, Ahmet, was in equally bad shape, while Dave Hart, who had just been up a couple of other high Turkish Ultras, strode briskly ahead. I’d previously been on the peak in 2011, but our then guide had neglected to mention that the highpoint was a rock pinnacle which, he told us, could only be safely scaled when held together with winter ice. I was tempted to nip up the tatty rope ladder while he wasn’t looking – but we’d headed down. Fourteen years later, Dave had tracked down the previous guide, who was willing to take us up, but for a price we weren’t keen to pay. He then located Ahmet, who hadn’t been up a mountain for a year. At the top, however, he came into his own, soloing the 7m climbing pitch then protecting our ascent with a rope (the rope ladder was long gone).
We parted company for a few days, Dave heading off for a two-day ascent of Kackar Daği (3931m, P2271m) while I explored a few P1000m Ribus near Erciyes. Many of Turkey’s hundred or so Ribus are unexciting, typically a few kilometres drive on a more or less reasonable dirt road (an extensive network are maintained to support the semi-nomadic herding community) followed by a moderate hike of up to half a day, occasionally an encounter with a shepherd, usually friendly, if lucky involving a cup of tea, an impromptu meal, or if less lucky, being chased by his large spiky-collared dogs. A few Ribus are more remote, steep, or occupied by military sites. A few of these trickier ones have information online. Karanfil Daği (3058m, P1001m) is interesting enough for local guides to take clients up. I found two Wikiloc GPS tracks online, the longish approach was doable in my SUV, and it was a fun climb, often interesting, never terrifying, although a few off-route minutes were a little exciting. The peak was a marginal Ribu, listed as P1000m. After a careful summit survey with my Trimble DA2 GNSS device, and an accurate-enough survey of its easily accessed col, it now has 1m in hand and seems fairly safe from sub-Ribu limbo.
In a few days it was time to rendezvous with Dave, and also Petter Bjørstad, in the south-east corner of the country, for Cilo Resko Daği (4139m, P2486). It’s in the strife-torn region bordering Iraq and Iran, which has only recently opened to tourists, and we were among the first foreigners to climb the peak. It’s a spectacular area with deep valleys, rushing streams, tall cliffs, where wealth is counted in thousands of goats, and visitors are ambushed by impromptu one-match-fire tea ceremonies. After a steep minibus ride, a steeper hike led to camp. Next day a varied hike, crossing an exposed but rather easy rope protected arete, led to the summit – except that the next summit, reached across a short scrambly arête, was higher, by 2.7m according to my Trimble. The guides sort of knew. No-one in the local group also visiting, had any interest in following us over there.
Dave and Petter headed off for Georgia’s Gora Kazbek (5054m, P2373m) and other Ultras in the region, while I travelled back west for more Ribus. Sarp Daği (2551m, P1348) is another impregnable looking peak, with a Wikiloc GPS track exposing a well-concealed breach in its defences. There are three summit candidates, and as high accuracy is bought by the hour, I had to reach back to my mountain running past to jog the slightly tricky complex route between them, to find that our choice of the south summit was correct, by 1.2m.
I had an encounter with some surprisingly accommodating loggers on Akdağ (2089m, P1297) after an unlucky route choice took me through their working area; tea in the fire watchman’s tower on Saphane Daği (2116m, P1042m); and was expelled by friendly police after my ascent of Kiraç Tepe (2444m, P1302m) as it was closed due to fire risk (the sign was in Turkish, is my excuse).
Dave and I need just one more Turkish Ultra to complete the set. Samdi Dag (3811m, P1729m) is close to the Iraq border, but Reçep is on standby to let us know if it opens, and there are several more Ribus available in the east of this friendly and fascinating country, with hopefully a few more not too exciting adventures in store.